


stay close to me [while the sky is falling]

by babybirdblues



Series: from the very first  [dicktim week 2019] [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Dragon AU, M/M, technically also pre-slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:42:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21889114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babybirdblues/pseuds/babybirdblues
Summary: Tim would say that everything is the same when he’s human, but he’d be lying.  Because human senses are different. He was three when his nest father took him exploring past their territory and he remembers every detail.  It’s not the same for anyone else he’s ever known.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Dick Grayson
Series: from the very first  [dicktim week 2019] [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570708
Comments: 4
Kudos: 100
Collections: Dick Tim Week 2019





	stay close to me [while the sky is falling]

**Author's Note:**

> Day seven -- free day! And I made it! I wasn't sure I'd be able to do all 7 days, but I did. This one is short as well and I don't know what to think of it. But it's done. Enjoy!

Tim would say that everything is the same when he’s human, but he’d be lying. Because human senses are different. He was three when his nest father took him exploring past their territory and he remembers every detail. It’s not the same for anyone else he’s ever known. Knows it’s not the same for Dick, who even now struggles to remember the way his mother laughed or the way his father’s voice was so much deeper than you’d expect.

Sometimes he wishes he couldn’t remember. Having to keep quiet about it when Dick is so obviously hurting is akin to torture.

But he can’t tell them.

Not his human family who, for all that the world keeps proving impossible things possible, believe there are no such things as dragons. 

It should be easy -- more than easy. 

Except it’s not. Not only does Tim have the senses he was born with but he also has the instincts.

They’re in the middle of an Arkham breakout; it’s all hands on deck. And that’d be fine, normally. But there’s been more happening across the globe and the entire community has been stretched thin. The only reason the entire family is back in Gotham is because Gotham is special -- not to mention Bruce’s no meta rule.

So, there’s nothing to stand between Dick and the bullets flying at him -- armour piercing rounds at that. All Tim can see is his nest father’s father being hunted down while Tim hides. All he can feel are the connections that kept him warm, kept him happy, break because he could do nothing to save the last piece of his nest.

(Tim knows Janet and Jack loved him but Janet gave up on Being long before Tim was born. Long before she realized that she needed his nest father to even think of Tim being born.)

Tim can’t do anything to stop the bullets. Not as he is now.

Searing heat races through his body.

It tears Tim up from the inside, sharp and consuming. It’s been many years since Tim has felt the change -- since he has had something worth risking his complete freedom for. But Dick -- maybe even so much more than the rest of his human family -- is worth it. 

Dick won’t survive without a miracle.

Not that Tim is a miracle.

(Tim will never be anybody’s miracle.)

But if his form can give just a pause in the assault, if it can shelter Dick from the armour piercing bullets, than it is worth this.

“Dragon!”

The henchman that screams it stinks of a terror so pungent it’s all Tim can smell. But the human still dares to raise his weapon, still dares to attempt to attack his family.

Tim feels his mouth fall open, almost of its own accord. One of the many responses to stress, to fear is to scream -- and a dragon’s scream can kill.

(He didn’t mean to the first time. But his nest father was gone and Janet was nowhere to be found. The man had somehow known -- Tim had somehow let him know.)

He plans to. No matter what Bruce feels about killing, no matter what Tim has always thought, the human part of Tim is not in control now. Tim is a dragon, will always be one. And no matter how much he knows this will change what his family thinks of him, he will not let these men -- these humans who aim to send his nest siblings, his family to their deaths -- to see another dawn.

So, he screams.

He focuses them, makes them into weapons that target and break those who stand in his way.

It’s only when he feels a hand against his chest scales -- smooth and small over the coarse chinks of his own flesh -- that Tim goes quiet, goes still. Dick is staring at him, awe and wonder warring with fear and no small amount of concern.

(He’s alive. He’s alive and breathing and Tim  _ made it. _ )

“Tim.”

The quiet whisper settles him in a way the touch doesn’t. He’s always heard Dick when he speaks, always been focused on him. There have been times when that has been detrimental to his own person, to his own ideas. But Dick has always been safety, has always been home and  _ right _ . It allows Tim the control to settle down on his haunches and uncurl his wings. Dick is safe. There is no more gunfire. There are no more henchmen attacking -- indeed the smarter ones have fled.

Time appears at a standstill, ebbing around them as if they did not exist within it. But all things must end.

It is to an angered shout that Tim returns to himself, returns to the present.

“No, B!” and that is Jason --  _ nest brother  _ \-- strong, angry Jason who has never been one to back down. “I don’t give a fuck. We gotta get back to the Cave. Ya ain’t never believe in dragons but others do and I’ll tell ya, there are a few that are more than willin’ to go after one.”

He turns, defiance and anger etched in equal measure upon his face. No one is going to take him.

(Not after the last time. Not after the chains and half formed spells Ra’s managed before Tim put a clawed hand through his right lung.)

Jason just stares him down, unimpressed with the dragon growling in his face. “Put the wings away, Replacement. If not for yaself, for N there. Ya might’ve got to him for most of those shots, but I saw at least one connect.”

It’s enough to shock him into another change.

Within moments the extra parts of him are folded away, tucked tightly beneath too small skin. There are tremors in his limbs from it, his legs wanting to collapse. But Dick is right there in front of him and he can’t be an illusion. Tim has to make sure.

“D--Nightwing?” Tim’s voice is hoarse, his actions reflected in his human skin. He reaches out, stopping abruptly as his thoughts spiral. He didn’t think he was too late. He thought he had saved Dick and--

“Hey,” Dick’s hand grasps Tim’s, curling tightly and tugging the hovering extremity so that it rests on his chest. “Breathe with me, babybird. I’m okay.”

“But--”

“No,” Dick takes a breath, stepping closer and not even trying to hide the flinch as he shifts his weight. “I’m serious, handsome. It went through the meat of my calf. I’m going to be sore and probably complain for the next month but I’m okay.”

A whine leaves his throat.

“Please,” Tim crumples forwards, head thumping against Dick’s chest. “Please.”

He doesn’t even know what he’s asking. Dick might by the way he huffs a laugh and wraps Tim up tight, arms strong and sure. He presses his lips to Tim’s temple, murmuring soft words that Tim can’t hear past a ringing in his ears.

Shock from the transformations.

He hasn’t done it in so long; it’s going to have consequences. He knows it will. Knows what those are probably going to be.

“I--”

Dick holds him tighter as Tim’s legs finally give out on him. 

“Damn it!” There’s darkness pressing in at the corner of Tim’s vision. “Help me, Hood!”


End file.
